1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an athletic shoe, especially a soccer shoe with a upper which surrounds the instep area, a sole joined to the upper, and tension bands for stiffening.
2. Description of Related Art
This athletic shoe is known for example from DE 27 52 301 A1. The tension bands described there are designed to ensure more direct transfer of force between the foot and the shoe sole and thus to reduce fatigue phenomena on the upper itself. Moreover the traction of the foot in the shoe will be improved by the aforementioned tension bands.
One problem in athletic shoes, especially soccer shoes, is that the sole must have high flexibility to prevent hindering the natural rolling process of the foot when running. The energies which must be expended during running to deform the sole can be minimized when a sole as flexible as possible is used,
On the other hand, an overly light and flexible sole often entails an major injury risk. Bending of the sole against its natural arch downward can occur for example when running when the foot is placed on an uneven surface, for example, a stone.
In soccer shoes it is especially disadvantageous if the sole is allowed to bend downward. Soccer shoes must be light and very flexible. They should have especially thin soles which do not hinder the rolling motion of the foot when running. The upper should also consist of very thin soft leather which conforms closely to the foot to ensure better feeling of the ball.
When taking a shot, especially with the instep, in which the ball is hit with the extended foot, it holds that bending of the sole downward should be prevented as much as possible and the foot should accordingly be supported inflexibly. This is because the impact force and ball speed are reduced when the sole and accordingly the foot yield downward, by which a large amount of the impact force is lost. Satisfactory transfer of momentum cannot be achieved with a sole which yields downward.
To solve this problem in a soccer shoe it is proposed in published German Patent Application DE 32 19 652 A1 that on the bottom of a sole formed from inherently soft base material there be material parts with greater hardness which are provided with stops and counterstops. Bending of the sole downward is prevented by the stops and counterstops of the material parts located on the bottom of the sole coming into contact. This known design results in a relatively complex sole structure. In addition it no longer takes effect to the desired degree in heavy, muddy ground. The gap between the stop and counterstop fills with soil or the like so that the sole arches accordingly upward with increasing duration of play. The interplay of the stop and counterstop is lost.